Manchester Academy

About Manchester Academy

Manchester Academy is a school that local families clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 285 applications for just 159 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.79. That means nearly two families applied for every available spot, and only 56 first-preference offers were made. While the school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, the high demand suggests a strong local reputation. The school is a mixed, Christian-faith secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It's led by headteacher James Eldon and sits within the Manchester local authority. With 53.2 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with significant economic diversity, yet it still manages to attract far more applicants than it has room for.

Academically, Manchester Academy is performing above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.3 is notably higher than the Manchester local authority average of 0.18, and the school's Progress 8 banding is rated as 'Above average'. Nationally, it ranks 850th out of 3,141 schools on this measure, placing it in the top 27 per cent of schools across England. In the North West region, it sits 83rd out of 445 schools. The Attainment 8 score is 43.2, and 51.8 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 4.01, with 50.9 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2022 rated it Good across all areas, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This is a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2019, when the school was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, sports hall, swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, and a library. There are also art studios, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, rugby, netball, athletics, and martial arts, while clubs range from Eco Club and Orchestra to Model UN and a Film Club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school has a SEN unit and resourced provision, and it supports pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and social and emotional mental health needs. Given its strong Progress 8 performance relative to the local average, combined with its oversubscribed status, this school is likely to suit families who value academic progress in a diverse, urban setting. However, with only 159 places available and high demand, securing a place will be competitive.

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